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The walls of Sargeroth
To fully understand Sargeroth, one must understand the importance and nature of the walls of Sargeroth. Each section of wall created in and around the city bore special importance in the time of their prospective construction and the Creation of a state surrounded entirely by walls marks a particularly important aspect of the civilization itself. Most walls were constructed in order to keep monsters at bay which plague the natural world. An abundance of dangerous creatures have assaulted Sargerithians since ground was first broken for the city. As the eras passed, citizens' daily fear of being devoured or mauled by creatures was slowly replaced by fears of being murdered within the relative safety of the walls. The necessity of protection from outside dangers had an instrumental impact on the City's Identity and future development. As more walls were built, the separation of the citizens of Sargeroth from the world outside increased, mentally and culturally. The impact of this separation still is not well understood. However, newer developments such as Project Cornucopia represent chances to explore the implications of walled-in city life. The Western Wall The first external wall to be constructed, early in the 2nd era of Sargeroth, was the Wall along the Summit river separating what would become Greater Sargeroth and the Western Desert. It was constructed by the commune controlled then by House Blumen to keep out the terrors which wandered the desert by night. The simplest of the walls, it was made purely of cobblestone with a wooden walkway along its inner side. The combination of the wall and the river directly beneath it proved a strong defense. The western Gate was not constructed until 200 years later when the Floating church garnered enough of a following to warrant a safe way to pass into the desert and back. Following the Gloran Rebellion, when the Blumen army built a fort directly outside the northwestern edge of the wall, the Sargeroth military forged an extension of the wall to connect the fort, once it was appropriated by the Sargeroth military of United Sargeroth. The Southern Wall The only external wall to ever see combat, The Southern wall was not completed until the Post-Bellum period of the 3rd era. The western end being completed under the rule of Lord of Affairs Clovis, still stands though after some renovations after the war of the Counsels. The western and eastern portions were connected via the annex wall. All 3 parts to the southern wall were constructed independently but when all were completed in the 3rd era, the Southern wall stretched continuously from the Western Desert to the foothills of the Eastern Mountain range. They create a formidable defense despite some small imperfections. The Eastern side of the wall was built as part of Lord High Commader Knewt's military district. It is the most impressive, standing more than twice as tall as any other wall in or around the city and 3 cubits thick. It was constructed out of quarried stone slabs which were fit together without crease or mortar in between. Upon it is a facade of Nether brick with a large main gate used only by the military. The gate was made of large steel rods connected to a pully system to lift it up and down much like the western main gate. The Retaining/Annex wall The Retaining wall was hastily built in the 1st era to protect the village from the dangers of the wild, much like the western wall. The village, of course, would later become Nadir's square. Eventually, the need to expand made it necessary for the retaining wall to be demolished entirely with a new, annexed area requiring a permanent defense. This Annex wall was a special project in the mid 2nd era to incorporate new territory into Nadir's Square, the economic center of the city. Its distinct yet diminutive nature is reflective of the times in which it was built. Sargeroth was dealing with rising tensions between Glorans and Blumens, resulting in little public motivation to expand, despite the rising population. The early Chalice company eventually constructed a simple cobblestone structure which stood until its detonation during the War of the Counsels when it was reinforced with more stable materials. The Kessel Wall Believed to be the most ancient wall in Sargeroth, the impressive Kessel wall was constructed some time in the late 1st era. It was constructed entirely out of wood, treated many times with Jorhan's Sap. The recipe of this concoction is known only to a select few of Kessel blood who, for generations, have treated all Acacia wood erections with it making the structures resistant to rain, fire, and even cutting. For this reason, though it be made out of wood, the Kessel Wall stands as a testament to the strength and ingenuity of its namesake. The wall has seen battle several times and was eventually breached during the War of the Counsels but it has served the Kessel family well as a distinct boundary line between the Kessel Quarter and Greater Sargeroth. All of Sargeroth are well aware of its intimidating facade. The wall underwent a renovation at the end of the 2nd era or beginning of the 3rd era depending on who you speak to. It occurred in response to the Blumen fort (see western wall) constructed during the Gloran Rebellion. Its creation almost sparked the beginning of hostilities between the Sargeroth guard and Kessel, as it was illegal to build upon the neutral zone. However, Kessel was able to defy the longstanding law with no consequences, allowing for the creation of the infamous Side Gate which sealed the Kessel victory during the 2nd Battle of the Wall. Some time after the Rebellion ended, during the Ante-bellum period, a wall along the western cliff face of the Mountain was constructed along with a Sunset park. The reasoning for the building of this wall is uncertain, however, some speculate that is is a defense in case of a western assault by House Blumen. It is technically possible that soldiers could climb up the mountain, circumventing the Kessel wall along the neutral zone entirely, though such a maneuver would be almost comical unless executed without error. Regardless, the wall is undeniably aesthetic and ensures that all sides of the Kessel Quarter are utterly secure. The Elmira Enclosure Constructed by the Chalice company in the 3rd era Ante-bellum period, this 3-section wall (a section facing north, east, and south) was created as part of the Elmira district project for a basic defensive structure. The fort connected to the wall was not part of the initial plans, rather, it was agreed upon through negotiation between the Chalice company and the Sargeroth Military. The Wall's composition was simple but sturdy, helping to support the artificially elevated ground level of the district. It became the only eastern facing wall of Greater Sargeroth and eventually, its Woodcutter Gate, originally only intended to be used to harvest timber from the Eastern nursery, became a hub of trade going to and from Project Cornucopia. Though the Fortress in Elmira was the victim of an attack by the terrorist sect of Floatists called the Suspended, the wall itself has never been subjected to enemy influence. Luckily, the district is of little strategic importance, being below the cliffs of the Light district and separate from Greater Sargeroth. Its shared wall with the Military district also increases its defensibility, making it highly unlikely that a battle would ever endanger the wall. Also, it is important to note that the structural integrity of the ground of Elmira is quite dependent on the wall's own structural integrity. The Badlands Wall An example of a purely military wall, the Badlands wall borders the east side of the Kessel quarter. This faces what had been low lying rugged hills of central Sargeroth for eras. One would think the rugged landscape of the badlands would be enough of a deterrent to attackers, but as proven by Yorefi Talinblade's near attempt at an assault in just such a fashion, a wall at the top of the cliff face was an obvious decision on the Kessel's part (though it should be noted that the wall was constructed before Talinblade threatened an assault). The Kessel family has always been devout in their protection of their homeland and so it is not questioned why the wall was constructed. In the Post-Bellum period, the lowlands directly below the wall was converted into a reservoir where the sewers of Greater Sargeroth empty out. The new artificial lake offers an arguably easier medium for a possible assault, especially from the Sargeroth military controlled Headquarters of Evervale, though the assault would have to travel by boat across the reservoir before scaling the hill to the wall. It would still be a treacherous assault to say the least. Some may even posit that the water obstacle makes the east an even more perilous avenue of attack against Kessel. Regardless, the wall has never been challenged and most likely never will be. The wall of Evervale Before the appropriation of Evervale, the Barbarians who inhabited the area were completely ignorant of the high walls of Sargeroth. After their annihilation however, the Sargerithian immigrants (mostly refugees of House Gloran after the rebellion) a wall was quickly constructed. Once again, the wall was seen as necessary to keep out the dangers of the wild. Due to the meager budget of the burgeoning district, a very simple wall was constructed with a main Passageway leading to the Kessel north annex. Plans are currently under consideration for renovations, though for the short term, this seems unlikely again due to a lack of funds. Jorhan's Wood Wall The vast forest on the north side of the mountain represented an especially dangerous obstacle. The forest has always been host to little understood to entirely unknown terrors. However, the vast resource of Acacia wood makes it an obvious necessity for Kessel construction. For this reason, an annex was created right next to the forest, far below the cliffs of the Kessel Quarter. The 2 cubit thick wooden wall was fashioned much like the main Kessel gate on the Neutral zone. It was constructed as a joint project with the woodcutter's guild who supplied the timber from the forest itself. In this case, the wall was necessary only for the protection of the woodcutter's lumber mill as well as several hundred heads of cattle. However, no civilians of Sargeroth come into regular contact with the forest. Technological advances such as the rail system make it possible for Sargerithians to travel far outside the city without ever coming into contact with the forest at all. Future Plans There have at 1 time or another existed plans to create a "Circumferential Wall, encapsulating the whole of the city. A lofty idea that has not as of yet come to fruition but for one reason alone, it would seem inevitable that walls will one day completely surround all of the "Ridgelands" surrounding the Holy Mountain. Not viable for a young civilization because much of a circumferential wall would close in areas not even inhabited or protected. The Central badlands of Sargeroth being the best example. To completely finish this encapsulating wall, a new one, and longest ever created would need to be constructed upon the eastern side of Sargeroth, north of the Elmira district. This wall would stretch northward until reaching Evervale where it would connect with its prospective wall. Then the Evervalian wall would need to be extended west along the North passage to connect with the Jorhan's Wood wall. Such a wall would not seem to have much logistic purpose which is why it has not yet been constructed. However, the reason it might yet be made is do to the idea of a Circumferential Rail system which can transport people and goods around the city with ease. Sargeroth already contains extensive rail infrastructure which could easily be made to circumnavigate the city but the problem, as always in Sargeroth, is "Who will pay for it?"